The Boys Who Leapt Through Time
by soldmysoultofullmetal
Summary: In the future a pair of brothers risk everything they have to save the world. Dirk and Dave Strider leave their home to travel 400 years back in time to stop the Condesce from taking over the world. Due to miscalculations and malfunctions Dave and Dirk are separated. Will the Striders stop the Condesce with the help of their new friends? Or will their friends be a distraction?
1. Way to go, Dirk

When Dirk found out that someone else on this godforsaken planet besides him and his youger brother was alive he hauled his ass over there as fast as he could. He didn't know what he was expecting but it certainly wasn't a sleepy eyed blonde chick drowning in booze. Dirk's first meeting with Roxy was almost enough to send him flying right back to his lonely loft but luckily for her Dave thought her drunken antics were pure gold.

_Luckily for me too,_ Dirk thought to himself as his fingers tangled themselves in the messy hair belonging to the aforementioned blonde chick. She let out a soft sigh and placed a gentle kiss on the side of his lips then one on his bottom lip, before trailing her lips across his jaw and down his throat, gently sucking on his collarbone. "Rox..." Dirk breathed out as he placed his fingers under her chin and guided her face to his own. He didn't like when her lips strayed from his own, not because of some romantic idea of staying pure till marriage, but because when things progressed farther than a chaste kiss Dirk began to grow uncomfortable. "Dirk…I know you're not comfortable with the thought of bringing a child into a screwed up world like this, but give a girl a break. We don't have to go all the way but, fuck, Dirk, I need something more than tender kisses." Her violet eyes lined with worry foreshadowed her next sentence, "Is there something else? Is there something wrong…with me?" Her voice grew small as Dirk struggled to find the words that would make everything okay again.

"I'm not ready," He cringed inwardly at how absolutely cliché that sounded as he cleared his throat. "I'm not ready for this to become _that." _Roxy's eyes narrowed and ice crept into her voice as she replied, "Ready for what exactly? What's holding you back?" Dirk raised a hand to the back of his head and scratched it awkwardly, "I don't know."

"You don't know? God, that is just great." She fumbled around in the nightstand beside her bed and pulled out a silver flask. Dirk groaned as she twisted off the lid and raised the container to her lips, "Rolal, please don't do this." Roxy roller her eyes and stuck up her middle finger as she took a swig. "Fuck you man," The usual sugar in her voice had a sharp edge to it that contrasted with the hurt in her eyes. "You've been staying with me for, what? 8 years? We've been doing this _thing_," she gestured dramatically; disdain dripping from every word, "for 3? What about me Dirk? What about how I feel, you gigantic dick?" Dirk sat frozen in place with no idea what to say or do, he'd fucked up this time. Roxy stared at him for what felt like an eternity before bringing her hands to her eyes and quietly sobbing. The sob was what sprung Dirk into action; Roxy was strong, she never showed weakness, she most certainly never cried.

Dirk grabbed her wrists and gently moved them away from her face so he could place a gentle kiss on her lips. Roxy pulled back and began to mumble but was promptly cut off by Dirk pressing his lips to hers forcefully. The harder Dirk pressed the more Roxy relaxed until she was pressing against him. Her hands roamed over his chest and Dirk swallowed the anxiety and fear that was bubbling up in him, telling him to run.

Half an hour later Roxy was sleeping with a smile on her face and Dirk was puking his guts out in the bathroom. He gasped and brushed the hair out of his eyes with shaking hands and tried to hold in the sobs that were threatening to escape. He loved Roxy, he loved her as much as he loved Dave. That was the problem. He loved her in the same way he loved Dave. When she mumbled a quiet 'I love you' the expression in her eyes was something that frightened Dirk, it was something he could never reciprocate and leading her on like this was hurting him now and would hurt her in the future. He squeezed his eyes shut and frantically searched for the path he should take.

"Uh….bro?" Dave appeared in the doorway and shuffled his feet nervously, "You okay?" Dirk nodded and replied in what he hoped was a steady voice, "Of course, little man, nothing can take me down!" Dave nodded and walked out of the doorway before changing his mind and walking back over to Dirk who was crouched over the toilet. His face was stoic and his stance determined as he said the last thing Dirk thought he'd ever hear his younger brother say.

"I want to go after the Condesce."


	2. Emerald yet Jade

Building a time machine is a lot easier than Dirk thought it would be. One of the few perks of the Condesce's rise to power was the plethora of alien technology at his fingertips. Dave tried to help but after he broke the prototype for the third time he decided to work on the logistics of the operation and leave the mechanics to his older brother. Based on the clippings and notebooks Roxy's mom left behind, Dave was able to find out the precise year and location where the Condesce began her ascension to power. As Dirk tweaked and fiddled, Dave packed and copied the important part of Roxy's mom's research into a notebook.

Roxy begged to join them on their trip but Dirk said he wanted her to stay here, where it's safe. Dave thought it was because Dirk didn't like Roxy as much as she liked him. He'd noticed the way Dirk tensed when she slid her arms around his waist and farther down when they thought Dave wasn't looking. He knew what happened right before Dirk got sick in the bathroom last week. He heard their whispered fights late at night. Sometimes Dave stared at Roxy and tried to figure out why she wasn't enough for his brother. The way she looked at Dirk when he did stupid shit like style his hair, strife with Dave, and butter his toast made Dave's heart ache. It wasn't because he wanted her; it was because there was no one here for him to want.

When Dave told Dirk that he wanted to go after the Condesce he didn't mention that his main reason was just so he didn't have to feel alone anymore. He hoped that somewhere along the way he would find someone that would look at him the way Roxy looked at Dirk. He kept this a secret from Dirk, he didn't want to be pitied and he was afraid that if Dirk knew why Dave wanted to leave he'd refuse to take him. This was Dave's only chance to find where he belonged and he wasn't going to screw it up.

It took a week and a half to finish the time machines and two hours to convince Roxy to let them leave. She'd been increasingly clingy as the time machines neared completion and now that they had the means to leave she was falling apart.

"I'm scared that you'll get hurt or you'll never come back," Her black eyeliner was smudged, giving her the appearance of a raccoon as she wailed, "What if I'm alone forever? What will happen to me?"

"We'll be back before you know it," Dirk smiled as he slipped the time machine on his wrist. "You won't have enough time to miss us." He threw the other time machine to Dave who followed suit, slipping it on.

"Promise you'll never forget me?"

"Who could forget a girl like you, Rox?" She smiled at his words and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You didn't promise…."

"I, Dirk Strider, promise to never forget you, Roxy Lalonde, the coolest girl I've ever met." He turned his head towards Dave and gestured to the machine strapped to his wrist. "Remember to press the button on the top every time one of the variables is correct. I'll meet you there." With that said, he turned his attention back to Roxy and whispered in her ear. Dave examined the time machine hugging his wrist. It looked exactly like a wristwatch except for the glowing lights lining the frame and the giant red button on top. He inhaled and pressed the button as hard as he could. After ten seconds of absolutely nothing happening he glanced up at Dirk and Roxy who were frozen in an embrace. The longer he looked the blurrier they became until Dave was standing alone surrounded by gray emptiness. He looked down at his wrist, the clock face was gone, replaced with an LED screen that had a blinking 24. The 24 evolved to 23, then 22, 21, and when it hit 20 Dave hit the red button again. It started from 0 and Dave waited until it ticked to 11 before he hit it again. As he pressed the button the numbers flickered back to 0 and up to 11 again, moving so fast that Dave wasn't sure what number had been displayed when he pressed it. The screen switched back to a clock face before Dave could enter the Month and Day and he began to panic. The grey nothing that surrounded Dave started moving sticking to Dave like paint and sliding up his legs and arms until he was swallowed up.

/

Everything is green and out of focus when Dave forces his eyes open. Emerald green orbs hover directly in front of his eyes and he yelps.

"You're finally awake? I was wondering how long I would have to stare before you opened those eyes of yours!" The orbs float backwards and Dave can see the face they belong to, a girl with black hair, olive skin, and circular frames who smiles as he examines her, front teeth peeking out over her lips.

"F-fuck, where am I?"

"In my backyard, you silly boy. Are you planning on telling me why you decided to nap under my tree?" Dave brought his hands up to his face and rubbed at his eyes as he searched for a believable answer. He slowly sat up and smiled in what he hoped was a charming way.

"I was looking for my brother and must've fallen asleep, sorry for any trouble." Her green eyes widened and she brought her hands to her cheeks.

"How old is he? Did he get lost? I'll help you find the little guy!" She stands up quickly and stretches her hand out to you. "C'mon, I know my way around this forest better than anyone else!" Dave cautiously took her hand and gasped in surprise when she yanked him up without a problem.

"Uh…he's not that…he's 18" Dave rubbed his mouth to disguise the smile that popped up at imagining Dirk as a toddler, lost in a forest. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she glanced at Dave.

"I guess I'll be helping you find the _big_ guy!" Her eyes sparkled when she smiled at him and Dave felt his breath hitch in his throat. Maybe he'd found what he was looking for.


	3. Families Are Weird

Dave and the green eyed girl searched into the early twilight, walking until Dave thought his legs might fall off, before he accepted the inevitable. Something had gone terribly wrong. Slumped on the ground, he inhaled short jagged breaths, as his mind became a whirlwind of panicked thoughts.

"Hey…it'll be okay. I promise I'll help you find him." Her voice dipped down quietly and Dave felt a hand gently rest on his back, rubbing slow circles as he tried to regain control of his breathing. After a few minutes he was able to calmly think about the situation he was in. _Dirk isn't here. He's not here, but he will be. He's always looked out for Dave and he won't stop now. He'll find Dave. _The hand on his back paused, causing Dave to look up.

"Feeling any better?" The girl smiled down at him but her eyes betrayed the worry she was feeling. Dave nodded.

"I'm okay…uh, thanks for that." He smiled nervously, he felt like every nerve under her hand was on fire and he hoped that she couldn't tell how flustered physical contact made him.

"I'd feel a lot better if I knew your name, mystery man." She smiled again, a real one this time, and Dave felt himself relax even more.

"Dave, Dave Strider."

"Well, Mr. Strider, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Jade Harley" She removed her hand from his back and dipped in a low curtsy, her raven hair spilling forward and obscuring her face. Dave paused, unsure how to respond to the sudden formality. She peered up at him through the dark curtain of her hair and snickered. Dave cracked a smile and caught something unfamiliar run across Jade's face. He blinked, and it was gone. "Let's head back to my house and get something to eat," She stood up, knees cracking, and held out her hand, "I don't want you to faint."

The walk back to her house was quicker than Dave expected, thanks to a shortcut that involved running down a steep hillside, and the adrenaline pumping through his veins brought attention to details he'd missed before, like the huge fucking mansion at the bottom of the hill that apparently belonged to one Jade Harley. Gray stone walls stretched on for what felt like miles, ornate stained glass windows gave a glimpse inside, and a coal colored roof topped it off. Dave hadn't noticed that he'd paused about 20 yards from the house until Jade stood in the doorway and looked back at him, her hand on the door knob.

"You coming?" she asked. Dave nodded and briskly walked over to her, determined to not appear impressed at whatever was on the other side of the giant mahogany door. He failed.

"Holy shit." Jade laughed at the murmured expletive and Dave's shocked expression. Every corner was occupied with either a statue, suit of armor, or exotic stuffed animal. The flooring in the entry way was stained wood and luxurious carpeting peeked out of the door way to the next room. The walls were covered in pictures of Jade and a young man who closely resembled Jade but looked about the same age as Dirk.

"Is this your brother?"

"No," Jade laughed. "It's my grandpa!" Dave skeptically raised an eyebrow and gestured to a photo of a smiling Jade and laughing "grandpa" holding their rifles and sitting next to a collapsed lion.

"I don't have a grandpa but even I know that they're supposed to be old." Dave glanced back at the picture, "Or at least old_er_." Jade shrugged.

"That's how he's been ever since I came to live with him. He's the brother of my mom's mom, so I guess he's not technically my grandpa. To be honest, I think of him more like a brother or close friend." She paused, "He's raised me since my parents died when I was young." She brushed her hair out of her eyes and glanced at the floor. "He's my grandpa, and I love him more than anyone." Dave nodded and awkwardly placed his hand on her back, mimicking how she comforted him earlier.

"I have someone like that too." He rubbed her back in what he hoped was a reassuring manner but stopped after a few seconds. Dave had no idea what he was doing. Jade sniffled and reached for the hand that wasn't on her back. Her fingers were warm and Dave froze, he'd never held someone's hand before.

"Your brother?" Her voice was barely above a whisper and her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. She'd never met someone who cared for their family as openly as she did.

"Yeah, uh, he's my hero." Dave swallowed thickly and felt his eyes sting. _Damn, he missed his bro. _He was saved from crying by a weepy-eyed Jade who squeezed his hand and stepped toward Dave. Their bodies were inches apart, and their faces were centimeters. Dave could see every tear drop clinging to her eyelashes and every freckle that dotted her cheeks. Behind the tears in her eyes was determination.  
Her voice steady, she promised, "I'll help you find your brother, I swear."

/

They continued searching Jade's backyard, which he later found out was an island inhabited only by Jade and her grandpa, and Dave continued learning how to interact with people besides Dirk and Roxy. He learned that Jade liked it best when his smile was bigger than the smirk he usually had. He learned that she wore ballroom gowns and high heels when they hiked around her tropical island. He learned that when she held his hand he was supposed to intertwine their fingers. He learned that when Jade got that strange look on her face he could fix it by smiling. He learned that her cheeks turned light pink if he took her hand first. He learned that she had a dog as big as a horse whom she loved dearly. He learned that her hair was as soft as silk and that she smiled dreamily if he ran his fingers through it. He learned that she missed her parents and he was the only person she felt comfortable saying that to.

And a week later he learned that he had arrived three years earlier than the scheduled date.


	4. Oh no, he's hot

Dirk's arms were wrapped tight around Roxy's waist, her hands tangled in his hair. He breathed in deeply; memorizing the way she felt, the way she smelled, memorizing the essence of her. He pulled her close as he whispered, "Roxy, I need to tell you something before I go…I love you, I love you so fucking much that it drives me crazy when I think about you living alone before I met you. I can't even begin to explain how much I love you…" Dirk felt Roxy's lips open against his chest and he quickly talked over what she was about to say, his words running together. "It's because I love you so much that I need to say this. I love you like I love Dave, like family. Both of you are the most important things in my life and I would never do anything to hurt you. I'm so sorry; I'm so fucking sorry, Rox. I didn't mean to lead you on, I thought maybe I could change the way I felt, maybe I could love you the way you deserve to be loved." Roxy was motionless in his arms and Dirk felt his voice break as he continued, "This doesn't change anything, I swear. I am going to come back, I'm going to save this screwed up world and I am going to come back to you." The last sentence prompted Roxy to reply and she pushed at Dirk's shoulders in an attempt to make him look at her, but he only held her closer as he pressed the button on the machine strapped to his wrist. Everything he knew slowly turned gray before his eyes and he repeated himself, hoping he could reach her one last time.

"I'm going to come back to you."

/

Dirk slowly opened his eyes but quickly shut them when the bright light above his head blinded him. _Fuck, his head hurt like hell. _He gingerly lifted his arm and pressed his fingers to his temple, slowly rubbing. He massaged his temples for a few minutes and when the pain had lessened he once again opened his eyes, bracing himself against the pain his eyes were sure to endure. The light, while still too bright for comfort, felt far less blinding than it had a few minutes ago. When his eyes had adjusted to the light, he was momentarily startled by the amount and variety of green that surrounded him. There was a green screen above his head that was interlaced with cutouts of blue and brown. He gawked up at it for a while before his brain registered that he was peering through the foliage of a tree, something he had previously only seen in the pages of a book. He languidly turned his head to the right and drank in the sight of the weathered brown trunk that the leaves and branches above his head sprouted from. Dirk lowered his eyes to the ground and carefully examined the blades of grass that carpeted the ground. There was an ant crawling along the top of a grass below Dirk's nose and he smiled, _Dave would totally frea if a bug was this close to him. Dave… Where was Dave?_

Dirk hastily sat up, temporarily forgetting the ache in his head but was quickly reminded as his head swam in pain. He groaned and clutched his pounding head. _Where was he? Where was Dave? Roxy? Roxy… _Her name was enough to jog his memory. He remembered confessing how he truly felt about her. He remembered promising to come back to her. He remembered fading into the gray that engulfed him until only the flashing numbers on his clock face remained. He remembered the L.E.D. numbers blinking out of sync, jumping around and out of numerical order. And after that…there was nothing until he opened his eyes and recognized the green that surrounded him. Dirk reached for his time watch and felt his heart skip a beat when his fingers brushed against warm skin instead of cool metal. His eyes snapped to his wrist and confirmed what he already knew; it was gone. The one thread cthat connected Dirk with his brother and his sister had been severed.

Dirk frantically searched the underbrush that surrounded him to no avail. It felt like there was a drum beating in his head and Dirk concluded that he must have hit it quite hard for it to be producing such a painful beat. His arms, legs, and torso also ached as well which considerably slowed down his search. Dirk seated himself against the trunk of the tree he'd been observing a few moments ago and observed that he was at the base of a steep hill. His eyes roamed over the side of the hill and noticed a trail of broken branches and squashed appeared to have been crushed by something approximately Dirk's size tumbling through them. The path of wounded vegetation led straight to where Dirk was currently sitting. Sighing, he wearily pressed himself onto his knees and supported himself on a low hanging branch as he pulled himself to his feet. He slowly made his way over to the beginning of the trail and carefully picked his way up the hill, searching through the green and brown for anything metallic or reflective. He stopped to catch his breath when he reached the top and froze when he heard rustling to his left. He had no idea what kind of frightening, wild animals roamed the forests in this era and he really didn't want to find out. Dirk stood stock-still and tense as the rustling inched closer and closer, mentally preparing to run if things got too dicey. His eyes which were focused on the quivering bush widened when a delicate creature with spindly legs and large eyes poked it's head through. He exhaled a sigh of relief and relaxed his stance as the deer made it's way past Dirk, oblivious to his presence.

Maybe it was because all of Dirk's attention was focused on the ethereal animal searching for berries, or maybe it was because this particular hunter was skilled in stalking, but Dirk had no idea that there was someone standing directly behind him until a gruff, heavily accented voice rang through the clearing.

"Who the dickens are you?" Dirk jumped to his feet and spun around, scrambling backwards until his back was pressed against a tree. He reached for the katana he kept strapped to his back but his fingers once again met with flesh instead of metal. "Might you be searching for this?" Dirk's eyes flew to the sword dangling from the hand of the strange man standing before him. The man's eyes were narrowed behind black frames, his stance menacing, and his other hand clutched a gun that was pointed directly at Dirk.

"I'm going to repeat myself once more and it's in your best interest to answer me. Who the dickens are you and why are you on my island?" Dirk nervously licked his lips and spoke in a voice that he prayed didn't betray how rapidly his heart was beating.

"I'm just looking for my brother, we got separated." The man tilted his head slightly to the right and continued to pierce Dirk with his gaze.

"Are you inferring that there is someone else traipsing around my island?" Dirk shook his head and cautiously lowered the hand that had been searching for his katana.

"I don't think so, it wasn't my intention to be on your island. I doubt he ended up here too." Dirk jutted his chin towards the man in front of him, "Do y'mind putting the gun down? It's making me nervous." The man glanced at the gun and back to Dirk before lowering his arm.

"Ok, but don't try anything sneaky. I have my firearm and your sword in my possession and I am fully prepared to use them to defend my self." He eyed Dirk warily and held out his hand. "I'm Jake English and you're the first person besides my grandma, bless her soul, to step foot on this island."  
"The name's Dirk Strider, you're the first person I've ever met besides my brother and sister." Dirk grasped his hand gave it a firm shake, mimicking an exchange he'd often seen in the few movies he'd watched. Jake smiled, his eyes lighting up and erasing the antagonism that had previously defined his face. Dirk felt his heart seize up at the sight. _Oh no, he's hot._


End file.
